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8 Publications visible to you, out of a total of 8

Abstract (Expand)

Prerequisite for a successful proteomics experiment is a high-quality lysis of the sample of interest, resulting in a large number of identified proteins as well as a high coverage of protein sequences. Therefore, the choice of suitable lysis conditions is crucial. Many buffers were previously employed in proteomics studies, yet a comprehensive comparison of lysate preparation conditions was so far missing. In this study, we compared the efficiency of four commonly used lysis buffers, containing the agents NP40, SDS, urea or GdnHCl, in four different types of biological samples (suspension and adherent cell lines, primary mouse cells and mouse liver tissue). After liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) measurement and MaxQuant analysis, we compared chromatograms, intensities, number of identified proteins and the localization of the identified proteins. Overall, SDS emerged as the most reliable reagent, ensuring stable performance and reproducibility across diverse samples. Furthermore, our data advocated for a dual-sample lysis approach, including that the resulting pellet is lysed again after the initial lysis with a urea lysis buffer and subsequently both lysates are combined for a single LC-MS run to maximize the proteome coverage. However, none of the investigated lysis buffers proved to be superior in every category, indicating that the lysis buffer of choice depends on the proteins of interest and on the biological question. Further, we demonstrated with our systematic studies the establishment of conditions that allows to perform global proteomics and affinity purification-based interactome characterization from the same lysate. In sum our results provide guidance for the best-suited lysis buffer for mass spectrometry-based proteomics depending on the question of interest.

Authors: Barbara Helm, Pauline Hansen, Li Lai, Luisa Schwarzmüller, Simone M. Clas, Annika Richter, Max Ruwolt, Fan Liu, Dario Frey, Lorenza A. D’Alessandro, Wolf-Dieter Lehmann, Marcel Schilling, Dominic Helm, Dorothea Fiedler, Ursula Klingmüller

Date Published: 21st Feb 2024

Publication Type: Journal

Abstract (Expand)

Abstract Chronic liver diseases are worldwide on the rise. Due to the rapidly increasing incidence, in particular in Western countries, metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD)otic liver disease (MASLD) is gaining importance as the disease can develop into hepatocellular carcinoma. Lipid accumulation in hepatocytes has been identified as the characteristic structural change in MASLD development, but molecular mechanisms responsible for disease progression remained unresolved. Here, we uncover in primary hepatocytes from a preclinical model fed with a Western diet (WD) an increased basal MET phosphorylation and a strong downregulation of the PI3K-AKT pathway. Dynamic pathway modeling of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) signal transduction combined with global proteomics identifies that an elevated basal MET phosphorylation rate is the main driver of altered signaling leading to increased proliferation of WD-hepatocytes. Model-adaptation to patient-derived hepatocytes reveal patient-specific variability in basal MET phosphorylation, which correlates with patient outcome after liver surgery. Thus, dysregulated basal MET phosphorylation could be an indicator for the health status of the liver and thereby inform on the risk of a patient to suffer from liver failure after surgery.

Authors: Sebastian Burbano De Lara, Svenja Kemmer, Ina Biermayer, Svenja Feiler, Artyom Vlasov, Lorenza A D’Alessandro, Barbara Helm, Christina Mölders, Yannik Dieter, Ahmed Ghallab, Jan G Hengstler, Christiane Körner, Madlen Matz-Soja, Christina Götz, Georg Damm, Katrin Hoffmann, Daniel Seehofer, Thomas Berg, Marcel Schilling, Jens Timmer, Ursula Klingmüller

Date Published: 12th Jan 2024

Publication Type: Journal

Abstract (Expand)

Chronic liver diseases are worldwide on the rise. Due to the rapidly increasing incidence, in particular in Western countries, Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is gaining importance as the disease can develop into hepatocellular carcinoma. Lipid accumulation in hepatocytes has been identified as the characteristic structural change in NAFLD development, but molecular mechanisms responsible for disease progression remained unresolved. Here, we uncover in primary hepatocytes from a preclinical model fed with a Western diet (WD) a strong downregulation of the PI3K-AKT pathway and an upregulation of the MAPK pathway. Dynamic pathway modeling of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) signal transduction combined with global proteomics identifies that an elevated basal MET phosphorylation rate is the main driver of altered signaling leading to increased proliferation of WD-hepatocytes. Model-adaptation to patient-derived hepatocytes reveal patient-specific variability in basal MET phosphorylation, which correlates with patient outcome after liver surgery. Thus, dysregulated basal MET phosphorylation could be an indicator for the health status of the liver and thereby inform on the risk of a patient to suffer from liver failure after surgery.

Authors: Sebastian Burbano De Lara, Svenja Kemmer, Ina Biermayer, Svenja Feiler, Artyom Vlasov, Lorenza D'Alessandro, Barbara Helm, Yannik Dieter, Ahmed Ghallab, Jan Hengstler, Professor Dr. med. Katrin Hoffmann, Marcel Schilling, Jens Timmer, Ursula Klingmüller

Date Published: 4th Jul 2023

Publication Type: Journal

Abstract (Expand)

In health and disease, liver cells are continuously exposed to cytokines and growth factors. While individual signal transduction pathways induced by these factors were studied in great detail, the cellular responses induced by repeated or combined stimulations are complex and less understood. Growth factor receptors on the cell surface of hepatocytes were shown to be regulated by receptor interactions, receptor trafficking and feedback regulation. Here, we exemplify how mechanistic mathematical modelling based on quantitative data can be employed to disentangle these interactions at the molecular level. Crucial is the analysis at a mechanistic level based on quantitative longitudinal data within a mathematical framework. In such multi-layered information, step-wise mathematical modelling using submodules is of advantage, which is fostered by sharing of standardized experimental data and mathematical models. Integration of signal transduction with metabolic regulation in the liver and mechanistic links to translational approaches promise to provide predictive tools for biology and personalized medicine.

Authors: Lorenza A. D’Alessandro, Ursula Klingmüller, Marcel Schilling

Date Published: 30th Jun 2022

Publication Type: Journal

Abstract (Expand)

Tightly interlinked feedback regulators control the dynamics of intracellular responses elicited by the activation of signal transduction pathways. Interferon alpha (IFNalpha) orchestrates antiviral responses in hepatocytes, yet mechanisms that define pathway sensitization in response to prestimulation with different IFNalpha doses remained unresolved. We establish, based on quantitative measurements obtained for the hepatoma cell line Huh7.5, an ordinary differential equation model for IFNalpha signal transduction that comprises the feedback regulators STAT1, STAT2, IRF9, USP18, SOCS1, SOCS3, and IRF2. The model-based analysis shows that, mediated by the signaling proteins STAT2 and IRF9, prestimulation with a low IFNalpha dose hypersensitizes the pathway. In contrast, prestimulation with a high dose of IFNalpha leads to a dose-dependent desensitization, mediated by the negative regulators USP18 and SOCS1 that act at the receptor. The analysis of basal protein abundance in primary human hepatocytes reveals high heterogeneity in patient-specific amounts of STAT1, STAT2, IRF9, and USP18. The mathematical modeling approach shows that the basal amount of USP18 determines patient-specific pathway desensitization, while the abundance of STAT2 predicts the patient-specific IFNalpha signal response.

Authors: F. Kok, M. Rosenblatt, M. Teusel, T. Nizharadze, V. Goncalves Magalhaes, C. Dachert, T. Maiwald, A. Vlasov, M. Wasch, S. Tyufekchieva, K. Hoffmann, G. Damm, D. Seehofer, T. Boettler, M. Binder, J. Timmer, M. Schilling, U. Klingmuller

Date Published: 23rd Jul 2020

Publication Type: Journal

Abstract (Expand)

Upon stimulation of cells with transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta), Smad proteins form trimeric complexes and activate a broad spectrum of target genes. It remains unresolved which of the possible Smad complexes are formed in cellular contexts and how these contribute to gene expression. By combining quantitative mass spectrometry with a computational selection strategy, we predict and provide experimental evidence for the three most relevant Smad complexes in the mouse hepatoma cell line Hepa1-6. Utilizing dynamic pathway modeling, we specify the contribution of each Smad complex to the expression of representative Smad target genes, and show that these contributions are conserved in human hepatoma cell lines and primary hepatocytes. We predict, based on gene expression data of patient samples, increased amounts of Smad2/3/4 proteins and Smad2 phosphorylation as hallmarks of hepatocellular carcinoma and experimentally verify this prediction. Our findings demonstrate that modeling approaches can disentangle the complexity of transcription factor complex formation and its impact on gene expression.

Authors: P. Lucarelli, M. Schilling, C. Kreutz, A. Vlasov, M. E. Boehm, N. Iwamoto, B. Steiert, S. Lattermann, M. Wasch, M. Stepath, M. S. Matter, M. Heikenwalder, K. Hoffmann, D. Deharde, G. Damm, D. Seehofer, M. Muciek, N. Gretz, W. D. Lehmann, J. Timmer, U. Klingmuller

Date Published: 19th Feb 2018

Publication Type: Not specified

Abstract (Expand)

IL-6 is a central mediator of the immediate induction of hepatic acute phase proteins (APP) in the liver during infection and after injury, but increased IL-6 activity has been associated with multiple pathological conditions. In hepatocytes, IL-6 activates JAK1-STAT3 signaling that induces the negative feedback regulator SOCS3 and expression of APPs. While different inhibitors of IL-6-induced JAK1-STAT3-signaling have been developed, understanding their precise impact on signaling dynamics requires a systems biology approach. Here we present a mathematical model of IL-6-induced JAK1-STAT3 signaling that quantitatively links physiological IL-6 concentrations to the dynamics of IL-6-induced signal transduction and expression of target genes in hepatocytes. The mathematical model consists of coupled ordinary differential equations (ODE) and the model parameters were estimated by a maximum likelihood approach, whereas identifiability of the dynamic model parameters was ensured by the Profile Likelihood. Using model simulations coupled with experimental validation we could optimize the long-term impact of the JAK-inhibitor Ruxolitinib, a therapeutic compound that is quickly metabolized. Model-predicted doses and timing of treatments helps to improve the reduction of inflammatory APP gene expression in primary mouse hepatocytes close to levels observed during regenerative conditions. The concept of improved efficacy of the inhibitor through multiple treatments at optimized time intervals was confirmed in primary human hepatocytes. Thus, combining quantitative data generation with mathematical modeling suggests that repetitive treatment with Ruxolitinib is required to effectively target excessive inflammatory responses without exceeding doses recommended by the clinical guidelines.

Authors: S. Sobotta, A. Raue, X. Huang, J. Vanlier, A. Junger, S. Bohl, U. Albrecht, M. J. Hahnel, S. Wolf, N. S. Mueller, L. A. D'Alessandro, S. Mueller-Bohl, M. E. Boehm, P. Lucarelli, S. Bonefas, G. Damm, D. Seehofer, W. D. Lehmann, S. Rose-John, F. van der Hoeven, N. Gretz, F. J. Theis, C. Ehlting, J. G. Bode, J. Timmer, M. Schilling, U. Klingmuller

Date Published: 9th Oct 2017

Publication Type: Not specified

Abstract (Expand)

OBJECTIVE: Bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)-9, a member of the transforming growth factor-beta family of cytokines, is constitutively produced in the liver. Systemic levels act on many organs and tissues including bone and endothelium, but little is known about its hepatic functions in health and disease. DESIGN: Levels of BMP-9 and its receptors were analysed in primary liver cells. Direct effects of BMP-9 on hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) and hepatocytes were studied in vitro, and the role of BMP-9 was examined in acute and chronic liver injury models in mice. RESULTS: Quiescent and activated HSCs were identified as major BMP-9 producing liver cell type. BMP-9 stimulation of cultured hepatocytes inhibited proliferation, epithelial to mesenchymal transition and preserved expression of important metabolic enzymes such as cytochrome P450. Acute liver injury caused by partial hepatectomy or single injections of carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) or lipopolysaccharide (LPS) into mice resulted in transient downregulation of hepatic BMP-9 mRNA expression. Correspondingly, LPS stimulation led to downregulation of BMP-9 expression in cultured HSCs. Application of BMP-9 after partial hepatectomy significantly enhanced liver damage and disturbed the proliferative response. Chronic liver damage in BMP-9-deficient mice or in mice adenovirally overexpressing the selective BMP-9 antagonist activin-like kinase 1-Fc resulted in reduced deposition of collagen and subsequent fibrosis. CONCLUSIONS: Constitutive expression of low levels of BMP-9 stabilises hepatocyte function in the healthy liver. Upon HSC activation, endogenous BMP-9 levels increase in vitro and in vivo and high levels of BMP-9 cause enhanced damage upon acute or chronic injury.

Authors: K. Breitkopf-Heinlein, C. Meyer, C. Konig, H. Gaitantzi, A. Addante, M. Thomas, E. Wiercinska, C. Cai, Q. Li, F. Wan, C. Hellerbrand, N. A. Valous, M. Hahnel, C. Ehlting, J. G. Bode, S. Muller-Bohl, U. Klingmuller, J. Altenoder, I. Ilkavets, M. J. Goumans, L. J. Hawinkels, S. J. Lee, M. Wieland, C. Mogler, M. P. Ebert, B. Herrera, H. Augustin, A. Sanchez, S. Dooley, P. Ten Dijke

Date Published: 23rd Mar 2017

Publication Type: Not specified

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